Your relationship with your toothbrush is very important

I recently had a conversation with one of our patients and he wasn’t aware that he needed to change his toothbrush regularly and it got me thinking (I know, shock!) that the subject of toothbrush care deserves attention.

Love your toothbrush but change it when it looks tired or if you have had an illness.

No matter, how conscious we are about our teeth, from choosing a good toothpaste, mouthwash and eating “teeth friendly “food if we aren’t taking care of our tooth brush then we could be fighting a losing battle. Think about it, we use our toothbrush to clear bacteria and most of us only afford 5 seconds to wash or rinse our brush.

Our toothbrush deserves more love and this is how:

Ditch the toothbrush burquini!

I’m sure you have seen toothbrushes with caps aimed at making a toothbrush more transportable (because they are cumbersome otherwise) but did you know that these caps can encourage more of the wrong bacteria in your mouth?

Gum disease is caused by anaerobic bacteria that prefers to grow in an anaerobic environment and by capping our brush we are providing he bacteria perfect surroundings. So, keep your toothbrush in an open and dry environment.

Your toothbrush deserves a soak before and after

85% of people think that you only need to wash your brush after your clean your teeth, but the reality is that you should give your brush a rinse under hot water before you brush, using your thumb to move the bristles in a to and fro motion under the tap. 

Use a toothbrush holder

Never store the brush with bristles in a downward position. Store it standing upright and preferably in a toothbrush holder, one with an open bottom. Storage should be open and avoid any froth or water build up; finally clean the holder weekly.

Note: toothbrush bristles must not touch each other this is prevent cross contamination.

Give your toothbrush a bath

There are a variety of sanitizers available but you could simply soak your toothbrush I diluted anti – bacterial mouthwash for 10 minutes or dip your toothbrush in a solution of water mixed with baking soda or one tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide.

Great oral health is achievable and Ciara will be more than happy to show you how. Hygiene appointments are now available on Wednesdays, Thursdays and every Saturday.